Bridgeport Hospital provides numerous support services for older adults in addition to the ones listed below. We offer community lectures on various topics throughout the year and additionally post our quarterly newsletter Healthy & Wise right here on our website. For more information about any of these services, call us, 24/7, at 1-888-357-2396.

AARP Senior Driving Safety

AARP’s Senior Driver Safety Program is offered monthly at Bridgeport Hospital and is now a one-day course. The fee covers handouts and instructional materials. Classes are taught by trained AARP instructors. Successful completion may entitle seniors to a discount on automobile insurance premiums.

January 3 and 17, February 6 and 21, March 5 and 19, April 2 and 16, May 7 and 21, June 4 and 18, July 2 and 16, August 6 and 20, September 4 and 17, October 1 and 15, November 5 and 19, and December 3 & 17, 2012.

January 23, February 27, March 26, April 23, May 29, June 25, July 23, August 27, September 24, October 22, and November 26, 2012.

Catalyst Prescription Discount Card

Bridgeport Hospital offers a no-cost prescription card for seniors. It entitles people age 50 and over, and their dependents to obtain prescription discounts at more than 48,000 chain and independent pharmacies nationwide. To request an application, please call us, 24/7, at 1-888-357-2396.

Geriatric Assessment Program

This service provides a complete assessment by a geriatrician (a physician specializing in the medical care of the elderly), nurse, and social worker to diagnose an older person's need for help. Geriatric assessment involves both the patient and his or her family members, and includes a physical examination, a medical history, and a psychiatric evaluation to diagnose possible depression or other mental health conditions. The Geriatric Assessment Program serves patients in Stratford, Trumbull, Bridgeport, Fairfield and beyond.

All Emergency Departments are not the same, which is especially important if you or a loved one is age 65 or older. When deciding where to seek emergency care, remember: Only Bridgeport Hospital offers GEMS - our Geriatric Emergency Medical Service.

A dedicated GEMS nurse practicioner oversees Emergency Department care for you or your loved one by:

Greeting patients and explaining what type of testingmay be done, which helps put patients and their families at ease.

Working with Emergency Department doctorsto provide treatment and quickly determine whether patients need to be admitted to the hospital or can return home.

Ensuring that patients return to a safe environment, whether at home or another facility, with a proper plan of care.

Many older patients who need to see their physicians are unable to do so because they are housebound. Bridgeport Hospital's Geriatric Home Visit Program can help them to get the care they need in their homes. The Home Visit Group will become the primary care physician for those who qualify for the Geriatric Home Visit Program. If hospitalization is necessary, Bridgeport Hospital will provide care.

For more than 30 years, Lifeline has enabled millions of people to live with greater independence, peace of mind and dignity in the place they feel most comfortable - their own homes. Because the Lifeline service also helps family caregivers to balance the needs of their loved ones with the demands of their own busy lives, Lifeline is of immense benefit to them as well. Lifeline is a 24-hour personal emergency response program appropriate for all ages. Trained staff members are available at the touch of a button to call emergency personnel and family members, for both medical and non-medical situations. A daily check-in feature helps let working parents know when kids are home from school.